Cakir likely to miss out on Champions League final, says Turkish former referee

By Livio Caferoglu

Serdar Tatli believes his refereeing compatriot has all-but-blown his chances of presiding over the Wembley showpiece following his controversial call on Tuesday

A Turkish former referee has claimed that Cuneyt Cakir's hopes of refereeing in the Champions League final have been dashed in the wake of his decision to send off Nani in the second leg of the last-16 tie between Manchester United and Real Madrid.

The 36-year-old official has been accused by some in the media of making the wrong call after he chose to dismiss the Portuguese winger for what he saw as an excessive high boot on Blancos full-back Alvaro Arbeloa.

Speaking after Tuesday's match, Serdar Tatli - a former Uefa referee - expressed his regret that Cakir's actions at Old Trafford may well have cost his compatriot the opportunity of presiding over a European curtain-raiser this season.

"Nani is looking for the ball. By the time Alvaro Arbeloa arrives, the Portuguese [Nani] doesn't even see him," he told NTVSpor.

"The action is definitely not deliberate. As his intention was to only play the ball, it should have been a yellow at the most.

"I am proud as a Turk to see Cuneyt at this stage, but he lowered his chances of a European Cup final last night [on Tuesday]."